An The Lady of the Barge and Others, Part 10 Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark) 1863-1943 creator Greiffenhagen, Maurice 1862-1931 Richards, Amy, active 1896-1918 Sullivan, James Frank 1853-1936 text utu 2004 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "An Adulteration Act" by W. W. Jacobs is a humorous short story written in the early 20th century. This piece unfolds its comedic narrative through the misadventures of Dr. Frank Carson and his friend, solicitor Harry Thomson, who unexpectedly find themselves aboard a ship under dubious circumstances. The story cleverly satirizes issues surrounding class and authority, illustrating how two professional men can be reduced to the status of mere ship hands due to their drunken misbehavior. In the story, Dr. Carson and Mr. Thomson awaken to discover they have been mistakenly shanghaied onto a vessel, believing themselves to be the esteemed doctor and solicitor of Melbourne. The captain, furious at their appearance and behavior, forces them to work aboard as cook and able seaman, a role they are ill-suited for. With each humorous encounter with the ship's crew, Carson’s wit leads him to take control of the situation by pretending to care for the captain's health while opportunistically charging fees for his "services." Eventually, the story culminates in their return to land, where Carson cheekily hints that the captain’s ailments were likely a result of his poor cooking, leaving a comedic impression of mastery amid chaos. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2004-04-01 Produced by David Widger Original publication data not identified Humorous stories, English England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction River life -- Fiction PR Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12130 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12130 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133305.0 12130